Cities and Counties » High Plains » Shidler

City Info

Known for its oil boom days and expansive cattle ranches, Shidler hit its' heyday in the late 1920's with well-known figures such as Clark Gable working as a roustabout in the fields. The Burbank Field proved to be one of the largest oil finds in the country.

As you enter from the west, you'll find The Bivin Garden, an English Garden here on the prairie where you will find perennials and annuals in abundance on the six acres, plus spacious lawns, hundreds of trees and shrubs and several ornamental ponds.

Shidler is also home to John Payne, the One Arm Bandit & Company, PRCA Entertainer of the year for an unprecedented eight consecutive years. John, his son Lynn, and daughter Amanda have preformed their rodeo act throughout the USA and Canada.

The view of the rolling Osage hills is beautiful from Shidler's nine-hole golf course southeast of town. They have many events including:

The Tallgrass Rendezvous

Bikers Breakfast

One Day Car Show

Turkey Shoot and more

Shidler is the western entrance to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, with the Barnard Ranch being the cornerstone. Head north on Hwy 18 then east to the entrance.

The Nature Conservancy's goal is to recreate the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. A herd of bison freely roam the Preserve and over 757 plant species have been identified.